AWS EC2 vs Netlify
A detailed comparison to help you choose between AWS EC2 and Netlify.
 AWS EC2 The original cloud — 750+ instance types | Netlify Deploy modern web apps with zero config, automated CI/CD included | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.1 (128 reviews) | 4.8 (519 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Best for | Enterprise teams with AWS expertise who need the broadest instance selection and global availability | Frontend teams and JAMstack projects that prioritize deployment speed and automation over deep infrastructure control. |
| Specifications (entry plan) | ||
| CPU cores | — | 0 vCPU |
| RAM | — | 0 GB |
| Storage | — | 0 GB |
| Bandwidth | — | 0 TB/mo |
| SLA uptime | — | 99.99% |
| Data-center count | — | 50 |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ||
| DDoS protection | ✓ | |
| Automated backups | ||
| Snapshots | ||
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ||
| Free tier | ✓ | |
| Data-center locations | ||
| Regions | — | Global — AWS/Cloudflare edge |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tierhourly billingipv6ddos protectionbackups includedmanaged optionbare metalgpu availables3 compatibleeu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenterapi accessterraform providerkubernetes support | free tiermanaged optionddos protectioneu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenterapi access |
| Visit AWS EC2 → | Visit Netlify → | |
AWS EC2
Pros
- + Largest instance type selection — 750+
- + Spot instances for 90% discount on interruption-tolerant workloads
- + 99 availability zones across 31 regions
Cons
- - Complex pricing — easy to overspend
- - Requires expertise to use efficiently
Netlify
Pros
- + Deploy directly from Git with zero manual steps
- + Generate preview URLs for every pull request automatically
- + Built-in CDN and SSL certificates included
- + Run serverless functions without managing infrastructure
- + Instant rollbacks to previous deployments
Cons
- - Build minutes limited on free tier; overages can add cost quickly
- - Dependency on Netlify's build system reduces customization for complex workflows
- - Cold starts on functions can impact performance for latency-sensitive apps
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